KMA Land - Young Says Proposal Could Save Lives

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By Chuck Morris

Last week's tragic shooting deaths in Chattanooga has members of Congress talking about ways to ensure this type of incident doesn't occur again.

Iowa 3rd District Congressman David Young talked this morning about House Bill 3115 during his weekly interview on KMA. Young says the proposed bill is called the Enhancing Safety at Military Installations Act and he fully supports it.

"In 1992 the Department of Defense issued a directive to disarm the folks at military bases and recruitment stations. And since then, we've had 19 attacks on U.S. domestic military facilities. About 50 deaths, over 100 injuries and our Armed Forces and if we are going to call them Armed Forces deserve to be armed to be able to defend themselves and to be able to go on the offensive when they encounter terrorists."

Young says lifting the ban will go along way to preventing another Chattanooga type incident.

"And so this allows them to be armed. They are perfectly trained, they know how to use these weapons, they're responsible with them and so we need to repeal that outdated ban on personnel at military bases and recruitment stations from carrying firearms, so they can protect themselves. They are not just being attacked overseas anymore, it's happening here unfortunately."

Young believes the bill will pass, perhaps as early as next week. He is puzzled as two why President George Bush ordered to Department of Defense to place the arms ban in the first place.

"You know I'm not sure why it happened. Maybe there was an incident at a base that spurred this, but with what's been happening lately and since then, we owe it to our military, those who put their lives on the line for us, to be allowed to protect themselves."

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